{ "title": "Kilian Jornet Brings \u201cKeep Public Lands in Public Hands\u201d Message to Western States on His Race Cap", "modified_at": "2026-06-18 08:36:47", "published_at": "2026-06-17 14:40:00", "url": "https://news.kilianjornet.cat/kilian-jornet-brings-keep-public-lands-in-public-hands-message-to-western-states-on-his-race-cap", "short_url": "http://prez.ly/PTId", "culture": "en", "language": "EN", "subtitle": "At one of trail running\u2019s most iconic races, Kilian uses his platform to highlight the importance of public lands, responsible stewardship and long-term protection of the places that make outdoor sport possible.", "slug": "kilian-jornet-brings-keep-public-lands-in-public-hands-message-to-western-states-on-his-race-cap", "body": "

Mountain athlete Kilian Jornet is bringing to the table a conversation around public lands with his new project. Under the claim Keep Public Lands in Public Hands, Kilian aims to reflect on the importance of the Public Lands and the key role they play in the sport.

For Kilian, the message is a call to recognize the essential role that public lands play in trail running, outdoor culture and community life. These landscapes are the places where people run, hike, climb, ski, bike, gather, learn and find refuge. They are also living ecosystems with deep cultural, ecological and historical value.

“Public lands are part of what makes trail running possible,” says Kilian Jornet. “They give us access to trails, forests, rivers, mountains and open spaces, but that access also comes with responsibility. We cannot only use these places. We need to care for them, understand their history and help protect their future.”

The message builds on reflections from Kilian’s latest project, States of Elevation, completed last year across the American West. During the journey, he moved through high alpine ridges, forests, deserts, long roads and remote mountain landscapes. Many of those places are public lands: areas not owned by one person or one company, but held in common and managed for public access, conservation and shared use.

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The project also reinforced a broader understanding of these landscapes. Long before they were defined as public lands, many were home to Indigenous communities whose relationships with these places continue today. For Kilian, acknowledging this history is an important part of responsible stewardship.

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Western States offers a powerful setting for this message. The race is one of the most emblematic events in trail running, and its route reflects the close connection between the sport and protected, accessible natural spaces. Without open trails and well-managed landscapes, there are no races, no shared outdoor experiences and no future for the communities built around them.

Besides the cap, the Kilian Jornet Foundation will be also joining the project and will use its platform to give visibility to organizations working to protect public lands across the United States, highlight local initiatives and share ways for people to get involved.

“Public lands need advocates,” says Kilian. “As outdoor athletes, we often see these places as stadiums, sanctuaries or testing grounds. But we are not only visitors. We benefit from them every time we breathe clean air, drink from a stream, move through a forest or find quiet in a wild space. If we rely on them, we also have a responsibility to stand up for them.”

The "Keep Public Lands in Public Hands" message is a reminder that protecting public lands means protecting access, biodiversity, cultural heritage, local communities and the future of outdoor sport.

More information about public lands, local organizations and ways to support their protection will be available through the Kilian Jornet Foundation website.

About Kilian

KILIAN JORNET is widely regarded as one of the greatest mountain athletes of all time. With his vision, he has redefined what’s possible in trail running, ski mountaineering, and mountain projects, always guided by \u200b a consistent set of values. Today, his impact extends well beyond sport.

Mountains are Kilian’s home and inspiration: they ground him and push him forward. Through more than two decades in mountain sports, he’s made a career by pushing limits—physically, as well as in how we design gear and care for things that matter.

As the co-founder of NNORMAL, Kilian brings his personal experience into product development—striving to create gear that reflects how he moves and what he believes in: durability, function, and responsibility. Through the KILIAN JORNET FOUNDATION, he advocates for the preservation of mountain environments and works to raise awareness of the climate challenges facing our planet. Whether through competition, entrepreneurship, or activism, Kilian uses his voice to inspire a more conscious way of moving through the world.

 

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